1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data cable and to a method for producing a plug connector for a data cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A data cable of this kind in combination with a plug connector for producing a data transmission plug connection between a pin part and a socket part is used for instance in high-speed plug-in data bus systems of motor vehicles and is known from German Patent Disclosure DE 102 05 333 A1. The known plug connector includes a rotationally symmetrical bush, which for cost reasons is produced from a deep-drawn tube on the inner circumference of which an insulating part with a through-bore rests. A contact which receives the insulated core of a data line of the data cable is mounted in this through-bore. The data line is surrounded by a shield, embodied as a mesh-like outer conductor, which is connected electrically to the rotationally symmetrical bush of the plug connector. The deep-drawn tube has a bead, formed from a crease of the tube, which serves as a stop for a fitting piece that is embodied as a plastic injection molded part and is slipped onto the tube with a press fit and that has grooves made on its outer contour. A housing surrounds the tube and the fitting piece and, for axially fixing the housing, engages the grooves with a detent and locking structure.
A data cable embodied on the so-called “star quad” principle includes 1) four line leads located inside the cable jacket and insulated from one another and 2) a shield surrounding the line leads, wherein the shield is in the form of a mesh shield that is electrically connected to the bush of the plug connector. If the cable is based on the “star quad” principle, then it is necessary that the electrical contacts of the plug connector that are connected to the line leads and that protrude from the face end of the insulating part are unambiguously aligned with the housing of the plug connector. To that end, during the assembly of the plug connector, the housing of the plug connector must assume an unambiguous angular position relative to the line leads of the data cable, or to contact pins or contact sockets located in the insulating part and connected to the line leads. In addition, the housing must be fixed not only axially on the deep-drawn tube but also fixed on the deep-drawn tube in the circumferential direction as well, in a manner fixed against relative rotation.